ROGERS PARK — The Artists of the Wall Festival returns to the neighborhood this weekend, bringing a dozen musical acts and more than 100 artists to the lakefront.
Artists of the Wall takes place 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Saturday-Sunday at Loyola Beach between Farwell and Morse avenues. The festival features artists who come to the beach to paint miniature murals on the Loyola Beach seawall, and there will be live entertainment along the lakefront.
This year will see 160 murals painted on the wall. Pre-registration for mural spots are sold out, but there will be a limited number of spots available for walk-ups starting 9 a.m. Saturday and Sunday, according to the Rogers Park Business Alliance.
The murals will be inspired by this year’s theme, World of Tomorrow.
The murals are judged, with first- to third-place winners awarded in three categories: adult, teen and junior artists.
There will also be opportunities to add chalk art to the sidewalk near the beach courtesy the Loyola Park community garden group Circle Gardens.
The festival will also feature 12 musical acts playing throughout Saturday and Sunday. Third Estate Art will host a kids’ activities tent where kids can paint a tiny globe. Synapse Dance will also perform Saturday.
Artists of the Wall returns to a two-day format this year after last year’s festival was expanded to three days to allow for social distancing during the mural painting.
Originally launched nearly three decades ago as a response to graffiti covering the wall, the community celebration of art has become one of the neighborhood’s most-anticipated events each Father’s Day weekend.
The murals are judged, winners are announced and the murals stay up until May, when the wall is washed and repainted for the next artists.
For more on this year’s event, click here.
Support Local News!
Subscribe to Block Club Chicago, an independent, 501(c)(3), journalist-run newsroom. Every dime we make funds reporting from Chicago’s neighborhoods. Already subscribe? Click here to gift a subscription, or you can support Block Club with a tax-deductible donation.
Listen to the Block Club Chicago podcast:
